Finding Normal
by snapple79
Summary: What happens after Sam asks Andy to be normal together?
1. Chapter 1

**Finding Normal**

This is my take on what happened at the end of season 2. I wrote most of it before it came out that Sam & Andy's suspension was three months & that timeline didn't fit my story, so I ignored that piece of info while finishing this. :) And, it was initially going to be a one-shot, but the ideas kept coming, so it'll be a few chapters.

I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think! :)

* * *

**Chapter 1 **

"What happened?" Sam asked as Andy walked toward his truck.

"I got suspended," she said sadly. "You?"

He figured she faced the same fate as him, even though he blamed himself fully. He was the one who called her, invited her back. He's the one who got them both in trouble. He glanced away from her, pissed at himself, before answering. "I got yelled at…and then I got suspended."

"Sam," she said breathlessly. He knew she was blaming herself, maybe questioning the universe's plan for them.

"Wanna try being normal together?"

"How are we gonna do that?" Andy asked, her lips curving into a smile for the first time since she left Sam's undercover apartment the day before.

"I don't know. I have no idea," he replied, smiling. He didn't really know what normal was, but what he did know was he wanted whatever it was with Andy.

She smiled again as relief flooded through her body. She hadn't admitted it, but she was worried Sam would regret what they did. That what they shared while he was undercover would be swept under the 'it was what it was' rug and forgotten. She shivered as the cold snowy air traveled through her coat.

"Get in," Sam said reaching over to open the passenger door. Andy didn't miss the grimace he tried to hide from her as he leaned over.

She got in and was thankful for the hot air blasting through the truck's vents. "How long are you suspended?" she asked as she fidgeted with her gloved hands.

"Three weeks."

"Me too."

She didn't have to ask where he was taking her. He didn't have to ask if she wanted to come. They both just knew their destination was Sam's apartment. They rode in silence until Andy told him to pull over at a local pizza place so she could get them something to eat since she knew there'd be no food in his apartment. They were both too exhausted to cook anything anyway, but Andy insisted Sam eat something, knowing he probably hadn't eaten in at least 24 hours.

Silence continued as they arrived at Sam's and sat at the table eating. There was a lot to talk about, to discuss, to worry over, to be happy about, but tonight all of that could wait. They were tired. They were overwhelmed. They were happy they were both alive and just needed the comfort of being around each other.

"I'm gonna take a shower. There's pajama bottoms in the third drawer of my dresser if you want to borrow them," he said as they walked down the hall. Andy ignored him and followed him to the bathroom. Sam turned around to shut the door and took a step back, surprised Andy was standing there. "I can handle a shower on my own. You're tired, go to bed."

"No." She raised her hand so her fingers gently traced over the cut below his eye and the bruise surrounding it. Her fingers trailed lightly along his jaw before she slowly lowered her hand until it grazed the blue brace covering his left hand and wrist. She slid her fingers up down it, wondering what had happened to cause the need for a brace. She knew he'd been hurt, but no one had shared the details with her yet. Sam saw the look in her eyes and knew she wanted to see what else Brennan had done.

"Andy, you don't need to see this," he said, grabbing her wrist gently. "It's not going to make either of us feel better."

"I want to, Sam," she said softly. "Up." She nodded at his arms as she grabbed the bottom of his shirt in her hands. When he reluctantly complied, Andy slowly pulled his shirt over his head and Sam heard her breath hitch as the first of his bruises was revealed. She let her fingers hover over the large bruise on his stomach, taking note of the normally tanned skin that had become red and purple.

"I'm sorry," she said with a breathy air to her voice that was full of emotion.

"This isn't your fault. Boyd gave me incomplete information and a boat from a well-publicized arrest. That's what led to these bruises," he said. The knuckles on his good hand nudged her chin up so she'd look at him.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

"Yes. Get in bed and wait for me while I take a shower. Just knowing you're here is all I need right now," he replied. She circled her arms gently around him, pulling him close before she kissed his cheek and backed out of the bathroom. Once she left, he shut the door and turned the shower on. Steam had started to fill the bathroom when he finally stepped under the hot spray of water. He closed his eyes and let the water pound the muscles on his back. He took a longer than usual shower, enjoying the hot assault of the water on his aching body. When he finally shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, the bathroom felt like a steam room. He dried off and swallowed a couple extra strength pain pills before heading to his bedroom.

Andy lay under the covers in his bed staring up at the ceiling while she waited for him to join her. She fidgeted with the drawstring of his pajama pants, tying it tighter so the oversized pants would stay on her, before tugging at the hem of his shirt that she wore.

Sam walked into the bedroom with a towel around his waist and his hair still damp from the shower. He fished pajama bottoms and a t-shirt out of his dresser and put them on quickly so Andy didn't have time to see the bruises again. He lay down next to her as she rolled onto her side to look at him.

"Sam..."

"Mmmm."

She wanted to talk to him, or better yet, have him talk to her. For him to tell her what happened, what had gone on with Brennan. But she saw the tiredness on his face and his eyelids start to droop.

"Nothing. It can wait 'till tomorrow," she said, rolling onto her back.

"Goodnight Andy," Sam said. His left hand ached, but his fingers stretched out to find Andy's hand and curled around her fingers.

"Goodnight Sam."

Talking could wait. They had time. She was just thankful to be able to even be with Sam right now. After the yelling they had each been on the receiving end of back at the station, both had heard the same speech from Frank. They were suspended for three weeks for conduct unbecoming, and while usually this came with a no contact order for the length of the suspension, that punishment was determined on a case by case basis. And by some lucky strike, Superintendent Peck had agreed with Frank that under the circumstances, since it was truly Boyd who ruined the operation, Sam and Andy would not be faced with that punishment. Meaning simply that they had three weeks with nothing to do but be with each other.

Andy watched as Sam's chest moved up and down, and as his breathing slowed, she knew he had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Sam began to thrash around in his sleep and Andy immediately woke when she felt him move. She placed a gentle hand on his side and tried to wake him up. "Sam, wake up. Sam." Still groggy, Andy's reflexes were slow and as Sam continued thrashing around, she wasn't able to get out of the way in time to avoid his arm connecting hard with her face. She yelped as her cheekbone stung in pain. Andy shook Sam, trying to wake him from whatever nightmare he was having. His eyes bolted open when she succeeded.

As if trying to remember where he was, Sam's eyes darted around the room, finally landing on Andy, who was rubbing her cheek. "You okay?" she asked.

Sam swallowed and took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm good."

"Really? You were flopping around the bed like you were in a fight," she replied.

Sam rolled on his side to face her. "Was back in the warehouse with Brennan." Andy looked into Sam's eyes and knew there was more he wasn't saying, so she nodded, urging him to continue.

"Not the first time I've had nightmares after deep cover," he said, pausing briefly before continuing. "Usually they're not so vivid though."

"Anything I can do?" she asked, not knowing how to take away the pain of his nightmares. He said nothing, but moved closer and threw his arm around her to pull her flush against him.

It was only when their faces were inches apart that he noticed how red Andy's cheek was. He slid his hand up her body so he could rub his thumb over her cheek. "Did I do that?"

Andy smiled as she turned her face so she could place a kiss on the palm of his hand. "It's okay. You were asleep, didn't know what you were doing."

"Andy," he sighed. "I'm sorry." He leaned in to place soft kisses on her cheek, before nuzzling her nose with his. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked about his nightmare. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He'd never had someone to talk about his nightmares with, no one on a personal level to talk about his UC assignments with. He didn't know what to say, how to talk about it. Andy didn't want to push him and when he remained silent, she shifted closer to him, resting her hand on his chest. "Try and get back to sleep." She kissed his shoulder before resting her head on the pillow. Sam laced his fingers with hers, bringing her hand to his lips briefly before their entwined fingers rested on his chest. For now, just feeling her next to him was all that he needed.

* * *

Andy woke the next morning still curled up next to Sam. She took a deep breath, thankful he had slept soundly through the rest of the night. She figured he'd wake up soon, but she wanted him to get every extra minute of sleep, so she quietly slid out of bed and grabbed her clothes, making her way to the bathroom. She found extra towels in a small linen closet and turned the shower on. The water turned warm quickly and she got in. She grabbed the soap and inhaled the scent. Not surprisingly, it smelled like Sam and she smiled. Her face quickly turned somber as she thought about how she almost was never able to smell his scent again. If he hadn't – if Brennan had – She tried to stop herself from thinking those thoughts, but she couldn't. She remembered what Traci had told her, how Brennan had his arm across Sam's throat and if they'd arrived a minute later, it might've been too late. One minute, a minute that would determine both of their futures.

She shook off those thoughts. She wanted to be positive and upbeat around Sam to help him put all this behind him. Today was the first day of the rest of their lives. Today was when they started to figure out what normal meant. And they had three weeks before they had to face everyone at the station. Maybe by then, the rumor mill will have moved on from them disobeying all the rules and seeing each other while he was undercover.

She quickly finished showering and put on the same clothes she wore the night before, thinking how they'd need to stop by Traci's so she could pick up some clothes and toiletries. _Wait, what if he doesn't want me to stay over again? What if me suggesting it makes him feel smothered? s_he wondered. _Maybe he'll want his space. Maybe, maybe I should just go back to staying at Traci's._

Sam woke up, feeling stiff and sore. He turned his head hoping to see Andy's face as he opened his eyes, but instead saw an empty bed. "Andy?" he called out. In the silence that came after, he heard the water running for the shower and smiled, happy she felt comfortable enough to use his shower. He stretched, trying to loosen some of the stiffness coursing through his body, and thought about what they'd do today. It was their first day of being normal, the first day of their future. He knew she was going to want to talk about what happened, what he'd been through. She'd probably heard some of it, but would want to hear it all from him. He wasn't sure he knew how to do that. He'd had to talk about stuff like this before to give official statements or be cleared by the department psychologist, but he'd never had to talk about it with someone who cared about him. He didn't know where he'd begin or how he'd get through it. Or how'd he'd admit how worried he'd been about her and what Brennan might have done to her. _First things first though_, he thought. _We need to re-stock the fridge and Andy will need to pick up some clothes. _

Andy walked back into the bedroom, throwing her hair up in a ponytail. "Morning," she said, noticing Sam was awake. "How do you feel?"

"Good, considering."

"What do you want to do today?"

"Well, we should probably stock up on stuff, like food and your clothes, so we don't have to leave the apartment again for a few days," he replied. Andy saw the glint in his eye about how he wanted to spend the next few days.

"You realize we're not doing _that_ until you're healed," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Sam reached up to cup the back of her neck with his hand and pulled her toward him.

"Mmmhmm, sure," he mumbled as he kissed her. "Whatever you say." He kissed her again before she swatted at his chest playfully.

"Sam!" she squealed, pulling back. "Get up. I need coffee and you don't have any."

He pouted briefly, but realized she was right. They needed coffee. As he got up and got dressed, Andy thought back to what Sam had said, that they needed to get her clothes. He said it as nonchalantly as needing to get food. He said it like they didn't even need to discuss the fact she'd be staying with him. It made her relieved, excited and nervous all at the same time. There was a lot to think about, to talk about, but for today, tomorrow, maybe even the next day, she was just going to live in the moment with Sam at her side. His arm slipping around her waist pulled Andy out of her thoughts. "Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded and they walked into the living room. "Oh, hang on a second, I need to check my messages," Sam said, grabbing his cell phone that he left charging overnight. Andy decided to do a quick inventory of the kitchen so she'd know what they'd need to get at the store.

"Hey Andy, when did you call me?" he called into the kitchen.

She nearly ran out of the kitchen, eyes wide open. "You can ignore that Sam. It's nothing, really." That only made him want to hear the message even more. She stood in front of him silently, worrying her bottom lip as he listened.

"_Hey, uh, look I just wanted to say that I, I know that I've got a plan, ya know. And it's a great one. But screw it. Screw the plan because I don't want to save the good candy for later anymore, ya know. I want to drink the champagne now and...Okay, you've got three weeks, right? So, let's make'em count, starting tonight. I'm coming over."_

Sam's lips curved into a smile as he stood staring at Andy. He hit 'end' on his phone, not caring about the other messages. "So, I'm the good candy and champagne, huh?"

Andy blushed, not feeling the same confidence now as she had when she made the call, despite what they'd already shared.

"Andy," he said, stepping closer and rubbing a hand up and down her arm. "After everything that's happened, you're nervous about a voicemail?"

"No, yes, no. I mean…" She sighed. "When I left that message I had just found out Leslie died. And she'd been saving this bottle of champagne that now she'd never be able to drink because she kept waiting for the right time. It made me think of you, of us. Made me wonder what I was waiting for."

He cupped her jaw with his good hand and placed a kiss on her lips. "Andy, you're _my _good candy. And I don't save my good candy for later."

"I'm learning not to save mine either," she said, smiling.

* * *

They ate breakfast at a nearby diner before heading to Traci's. She let herself into the apartment and was relieved to find Traci at work. She was still embarrassed about everything that had happened and didn't want to face even her best friend right now.

"So, this is where you've been living?" Sam asked, looking around the small living room.

"Yeah, the couch pulls out and it's oddly comfortable," she replied as she began to fill a large duffle bag with clothes.

"Is the condo you want still available?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know. I have to call the bank and the realtor since I missed my mortgage appointment." She disappeared down the hallway to grab her toiletries from bathroom.

Sam wanted to offer that she could stay at his place indefinitely instead of a crappy couch, but he worried it was too soon. They hadn't even been on a date yet or talked about what they were. There was no going back, but there was moving forward too quickly.

Andy came back into the room, dropping her toiletries in her bag before grabbing a pen and paper from Traci's desk. She quickly wrote a note to Traci, letting her know she'd be staying with Sam for a few days and not to worry. She stuck the note on the fridge and walked back into the living room to find Sam holding her duffle bag. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yup. Next stop, the grocery store."

As they walked down the aisles of the grocery store, Andy thought how oddly normal this was. They stopped in front of the juice and Sam placed a bottle of orange juice in the cart. She couldn't help but smile and think back to waking up in his UC apartment. "What?" he asked, seeing her grin.

"I thought only J.D. knew my juice preferences," she smirked.

He leaned across the cart to put a chaste kiss on her lips. "J.D. only knows _Candace_ likes orange juice, but _I_ know a lot more about what _you_ like."

"Oh really?"

"I know you like two sugars and lots of cream in your coffee, that your favorite candy is Skittles," he said, walking around the cart. His breath tickled her ear when he continued. "How you worry your bottom lip when you're nervous. How you press your lips together and roll your eyes when you're annoyed with me." He laced his fingers with hers and whispered, "And how that sensitive spot on your neck makes you go crazy."

"Sam!" Her eyes went wide and a blush fell over her face.

"Just saying. I know you _way_ better than J.D. knows Candace."

Andy shook her head smiling and stared at Sam's retreating form as he walked down the aisle to grab milk.

* * *

Andy insisted on unpacking the groceries herself so Sam didn't have to use his injured hand, which left him leaning back against the counter watching her. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" he asked.

"We could do easy, just heat up the pasta we bought," she suggested, as she put cereal in his cupboard.

"I wasn't lying when I told you I can cook. I can throw something else together."

Putting the last items away, she walked over and stood in front of him. She gently picked up his injured hand. "You need to heal. You're not going to if you keep trying to do stuff."

"Cooking isn't exactly difficult. I could do it with one hand tied behind my back," he joked. She tried to smile in response, but Sam could see it didn't reach her eyes that were filled with sadness and glued to the brace on his arm.

"Let's just do easy tonight, please," she quietly begged as her hand slid over his brace. "Just rest some and then you can cook all you want." She looked up at him and the smile returned to her face.

"Okay." Truthfully, he'd do anything she asked. He _wanted_ to do anything for her. It was a weird feeling for him. He'd never felt this way about someone before.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her flush against him, grimacing a little as her body hit the bruise on his abdomen. "I'm fine," he said, seeing the concern in her eyes. He nuzzled her nose with his and kissed her before pushing them both away from the counter.

"I should call my sister, let her know I'm back. She worries when I'm undercover," he said, as they walked into the living room.

"Yeah, and I should call my dad before he hears about this from someone else. Do you mind if I…?" she asked, pointing in the direction of his bedroom. She wanted privacy in case she broke down while talking to her dad.

"You don't have to ask."

"I know, yeah, I just, well, um, yeah." Sam watched her walk down the hall flustered and couldn't help but chuckle.

Sighing, he pulled out his phone and lied down on the couch. Hitting speed dial, he waited until his sister answered. "Hey sis."

"Sam! Where are you? I thought you were undercover."

"I was, it ended a little abruptly, but I'm back and I'm okay," he said.

"Are you sure? Why did it end so soon?" she asked, not completely believing her brother.

"Things didn't go according to plan, but I'm fine. And I even got a few weeks of relaxation out of it," he replied, not wanting to tell her the entire truth of what happened.

"You should come down to visit if you have all this free time. Let me see for myself that you're alive and in one piece."

"Uh, yeah, well." Sam looked down at the brace on his hand, but his injuries weren't the only reason he didn't want to visit his sister right now. "I'm kinda busy."

"You just said you were relaxing."

"Yeah, I might be spending my free time with someone." Now he wished he never brought it up.

"Your rookie! She burned you again didn't she? Maybe met up with you undercover. That's why you're home so soon!" Sarah nearly screamed into the phone as she put the pieces together.

"Sarah, no, she didn't burn me. But yes, we're spending some time together. Now can we drop it, please?"

"You know I need to meet her sometime right?" she asked, not ready to let the subject drop.

Sam rolled his eyes and sighed. "Someday, okay. That's all I can give you right now. We didn't get together in the most normal of circumstances and we're just figuring out what normal is. And that doesn't include trips to see you right now."

"Fine," she huffed. "Just stay safe, okay? I love you little brother."

"I love you too Sarah. Goodbye."

Andy sat on Sam's bed and stared at her phone. She didn't know how she was going to tell her dad she had gotten suspended. She hit the speed dial for her dad and waited for him to answer. "Hey dad."

"Hi kiddo. How are you?"

"Been better. Dad, I have to tell you something."

He could hear the seriousness of her voice even if he couldn't see the solemn look on her face. "Andy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm not hurt or anything, but well, I wanted you to hear about this from me." She didn't know how to say it, but decided it was like ripping a band-aid off; the quicker the better. "I got suspended, for three weeks."

Tommy stopped what he was doing and sat down. "What happened honey?"

"I ran into Sam while he was undercover a week ago, and saw him again two nights ago." She spoke softly, like a child admitting to cheating on a test.

"And?" Her father knew this wasn't all there was to the story.

"Sam got made. He says it wasn't because of me. Part of Sam's cover story included a boat seized in a high profile drug arrest years ago, but the guy Sam was trying to get caught us together. Whether or not I was the reason for him getting made, we totally broke the rules," she said and let out a huge sigh.

Tommy knew his daughter and her former training officer had feelings for each other from the way they looked at each other and the way he protected her. "You're a good copper. I know you wouldn't just break the rules for anyone. And Swarek's the same way. He might color outside the lines, but only when it really matters."

Andy understood what her father was hinting at. "We have horrible timing."

"Well, you're both alive and okay, right?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah, he's banged up, was tortured, but he'll be okay," she replied.

"Then you move on from this. Recognize what you did was stupid and move forward. We all make mistakes Andy," he said. "When you're feeling up to it, let me take you out to dinner, take the both of you out."

"Okay. Thanks dad. I love you."

"I love you too, kiddo."

She hung up and laid back on the bed. She was so sure her dad would scold her for being stupid. Instead, in his own way, he encouraged her relationship with Sam despite how stupid they'd been.

She walked back into the living room to find Sam lying on the couch with the television on some action movie. "How'd it go?" he asked when she came over to the couch.

"It was okay. He took it a lot better than I expected," she said, tossing her phone on the coffee table. "And Sarah?"

"I think she knew I wasn't telling her the whole story, but she's glad I'm home," he replied.

"C'mere," he said, wanting her to lie down with him. She carefully climbed over him, but hesitated before lying down.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Andy, you're not going to hurt me. I want you here next to me," he said, gently tugging on her arm. She slowly rested her body against Sam's right side, knowing his left was the side most injured. The arm Sam wrapped around her pulled her closer and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Is this okay?" she asked, worried she was hurting him.

"It's perfect."

They silently watched the movie – something about bounty hunters trekking across country to find their suspect – for a while before Sam spoke. "Do you mind if we, uh, just shut out the world for a few days?" He didn't want to admit it, but he was tired, mentally and physically. He didn't want to be around lots of people making small talk. He didn't want to be explaining over and over what happened. He wanted easy. He just wanted Andy.

She saw the unspoken words in his eyes and she understood. "Just you and me."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the favorites and alerts, and especially all the reviews! :) Hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please review and let me know what you think.

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

It had been two full days since Sam had been rescued. Two full days where Sam and Andy hadn't been more than a room apart from each other. They had watched a marathon of bad and cheesy movies, cooked dinner together, and Andy had even kicked Sam's ass in poker. She thought how oddly normal this was. Like Sam hadn't been kidnapped and tortured, like they hadn't disobeyed the rules to see each other, like they weren't suspended from the job they both loved. But she was happy, deep down she was really happy.

On the third morning that Andy woke up in Sam's bed, it wasn't the sunlight that pulled her out of her dreams. It was Sam. He was muttering in his sleep and his body was twitching with his one hand clenching and unclenching. She propped herself up on one elbow while she caressed his arm gently. "Sam," she whispered. She repeated his name a few times, each time a bit louder and each caress of his arm a bit harder. She wanted him to wake up, but she was fearful of jolting him out of whatever nightmare he was in. Her body relaxed when his eyes finally blinked a few times.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, fine."

She raised her eyebrows, giving him a skeptical look before leaning down to place a kiss on his lips. "You were muttering to yourself in your sleep. Another nightmare?"

"Nah, I'm fine," he said unconvincingly. She wasn't going to push him, but she knew it was another nightmare involving Brennan. She lowered her head to his chest as his arm circled around her. She knew that for now this was all he needed.

* * *

That afternoon, Andy and Sam were on the couch. She was stretched out with her head in Sam's lap, as his feet were propped up on the coffee table while he watched the news. He was absentmindedly running his fingers through her hair as it fell over his leg. She had lost interest in the news and thoughts were running through her mind about Sam and what happened undercover. She wondered if his nightmares would stop if he talked about it. She'd given him time, more than 48 hours without asking once what Brennan had done to him. But she needed to know what he went through and she was pretty sure he needed to talk to someone before it ate away at him. Andy turned her head so she could look up at him. "Sam?"

The quiet and serious tone of her voice startled him and he immediately muted the TV. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing's wrong. I just – I thought maybe it was time for you, um, to talk about what happened."

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and signed deeply. He'd been subconsciously avoiding this moment. "I'm not sure I know how to."

Andy sat up and swung her legs around so they rested over his and she could face him. "You open your mouth, words come out…" she replied lightheartedly.

Sam's lips curved into a small smile knowing she was trying to ease his anxiety.

"I know it's hard, but I think you need to," she said, curling up against him.

He knew if he didn't tell her, she'd just read the reports later. She didn't need to know this, but he knew how stubborn she was. He rested his hand on her knee, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb against the denim fabric of her jeans.

"Brennan came over that night, told me he wanted to get drinks and talk about my boat. I thought it was my in. By the time I noticed something was off, he hit me across the head with the butt of a gun and the last thing I remember was my head hitting the stairs," Sam said, remembering that night. "The next thing I knew I was waking up bound and gagged with a pillowcase over my head. My first thought was you."

"Sam…I was fine. I was so worried about you."

"But all I could think was Brennan took you, whether he had made us both or to get back at me, I imagined you being held like I was…or worse. It seemed like days passed by, but I know it was only hours before everyone got there," he continued, intentionally skipping through most of time he was held captive.

"You're leaving a lot out," she said, giving him a pointed look.

"Andy, you don't – "

"Stop it," she said, interrupting him. "Tell me." She rested her hand on the back of his neck, fidgeting with the neckline of his shirt.

He sighed deeply. "He started accusing me of knowing who covered up the car accident involving his wife and daughter, tried to get me to tell him who murdered them. And, uh, he water boarded me to try and get it out." Andy gasped at what he revealed and absentmindedly grazed her fingers along his throat.

Sam continued so she couldn't dwell on the water boarding. "Since I really didn't have a clue what he was talking about, I had nothing to give him. He kept it up for a while before getting even more mad. That's when he brought out the hammer." The hand in the brace clenched and unclenched lightly and his eyes glazed over like he was being transported back to the farmhouse. He remembered the fear, not for what Brennan could do to him, but what he might have done to Andy. He feared never seeing her again. He had wondered if two secret rendezvous in his undercover apartment were all they would ever share together. He remembered thinking that no matter what happened to him, he just prayed she was alive and safe.

"How'd you get free from the chair?" she asked. When he remained silent, unblinking eyes staring straight ahead, Andy was afraid she'd pushed him too hard. She touched his cheek with her fingers and gently nudged his face toward her. "Sam? Sam?"

His eyes blinked quickly several times as he brought himself back to the present. "Sorry, what did you say?"

She hesitated, wondering if she should stop making him relive that day, but repeated her question. "How'd you get free from the chair?" She laced her fingers through his, in hopes the contact would help him continue.

"It was a crappy wooden chair and I knew with enough force it could break, just like that crappy lock you broke through before you tackled me," he said, teasing her in hopes of lightening the mood. When a small smile graced her lips, he continued. "So, I pissed him off enough for him to punch me and the force tipped me and the chair over. He left the room and by the time he came back I was free."

Andy shook her head, amazed at what he had gone through, before resting it on Sam's shoulder. She didn't know what to say, so she let him keep talking. "The rest you pretty much know. I fought him and we both heard the noises of the doors being kicked in. I knew I just had to hold on a few minutes longer. And then Oliver came – "

"He wouldn't let me come in. Oliver, I mean. He forced me to stay in the car," she interrupted him frowning.

"I'm thankful for that," he said.

"Why? I wanted to be there, to rescue you like you've saved me so many times."

"You did Andy. You found the farmhouse. Oliver was trying to protect you. If things had been different, if I'd been found…He was doing what he knew I'd want." He knew that Oliver worried there was a chance they would find him dead and based on Brennan's past torture it was an image that would never leave your mind, especially if it was someone you cared about. Oliver knew what he was doing when he ordered Andy to remain outside.

"You mean if we'd found you dead, Oliver knew I would have killed Brennan right there in cold blood."

Sam let out a laugh, not because it was funny but because of her bluntness.

"If the roles were reversed, you wouldn't have let Oliver boss you around," she accused.

"True. I'm kinda surprised you listened to him and did as you were told," he teased.

Andy rolled her eyes, but her expression quickly became somber again. "I figured I had already put you in enough danger. I didn't want to make things worse."

"You did not put me in danger. Get that through your head. If anything I put _you_ in danger bringing you back while I undercover," he said.

"But I wanted to be there." She slid her hand around his waist and he shifted so he could place his arm around her back and pulled her closer.

"And I wanted you there." He was not letting her blame herself for this. Maybe they were both at fault, but he was not letting her beat herself up about this. He held her tight for a moment before deciding to be completely honest with her. "You were all I could think about in that farmhouse. I hoped you were somewhere safe, that Brennan hadn't touched you. And, uh, and I hoped our time spent together wouldn't be our last."

Andy was touched by his honesty and tilted her head up as he tilted his down and their lips met. When the need for air became too much, they parted.

"I knew he was going to do something to you. I should've found a way to warn you. I should've called Frank immediately. I'm so sorry Sam."

"Andy, this _was not_ your fault," he said. "How did you know Brennan was up to something?"

"Brennan was there when I left your apartment. He was waiting for me, insisted he drive me wherever I was going. I made something up about needing to go shopping," she said. "But he didn't take me downtown. We went to the marina and we talked. He kept asking questions and I'm sure my cover was blown. He knew I was a cop and came after you Sam."

"If he made you, you wouldn't have left the marina. He believed you Andy, otherwise he wouldn't have let you live."

"It took me forever to get back to the station, but when I did I started researching Brennan. I couldn't help but picture your face on the photos of all the victims, and I kept imagining what he might be doing to you." She had to blink back tears before continuing. "That's when I knew I had to tell Frank."

"You what?" Sam didn't know any of this. Jerry had given him a brief summary of what had gone on, but hadn't mentioned this.

"I confessed to Frank about coming to see you and told him what Brennan said. He was in the middle of yelling at me when Jerry came in and told him you were missing. When I got to your apartment and saw the blood, I just – " She couldn't stop the tears now as she thought back to that moment. "Jerry had to pull me out of your apartment. I couldn't believe, I didn't want to believe you were gone."

Andy stood up and began to pace the length of the couch. "The next morning when I sat in front of Boyd and Frank…" She couldn't finish the thought. Worrying her bottom lip, she thought back to what Boyd had said, that she didn't have a fighting chance in fooling Brennan.

"Andy." When she didn't reply, he tried again. "McNally. C'mere" She looked over at him, but didn't move or say a word. "Are you going to make me get up? I'm injured and you're going to pull me off this comfortable couch?" he teased.

Andy smiled and walked over, sitting back down next to him. His hand found the side of her face and tilted it so he could stare directly into her eyes. "Whatever Boyd might've said, he's an ass. Forget about it. He's going to get what's coming to him. You're ten times the cop he'll ever be," he said, repeating what he had told Boyd days earlier.

Andy's arms circled around Sam and she relaxed into him, a small sigh of relief coming through her lips. He rested his head on hers and they sat hugging each other in silence for several minutes. This pressure he'd felt in his chest since he'd been rescued was suddenly gone. The stress of keeping things bottled up was gone. He'd never had this before, someone he could be so honest with.

They sat like that for several minutes before Andy broke the silence. "How are you feeling?" she asked, rubbing her hand gently over the spot on his abdomen where the large bruise was hidden by his shirt.

"The extra strength pain meds take the sting away. The wrist might take longer to heal, but I should be fine in a few days," he replied, rubbing a hand up and down her back. He was surprised when Andy jumped off the couch and stood in front of him with her hand reaching toward him.

"Cause if you're okay, I was thinking, you know." Her eyes were smiling even as she bit down on her bottom lip to prevent herself from grinning to widely. She glanced in the direction of his bedroom before looking back at him again. "I think I know how we could spend the rest of the afternoon…if you're feeling ok that is."

Sam flashed his dimples as he caught on to what she was getting at. He stood and took her hand in his, leaning in to kiss her neck. She led him to the bedroom and gently pushed him down on the bed before she crawled on top of him. Her lips met his as he placed his hand on the back of her neck. After a few seconds she pulled back with a worried look on her face. "Is this okay? I'm not hurting you?"

"If it hurts, I'll let you know." To show her how okay he was, he tugged on her arm, so more of her weight rested on him. "I'm okay," he mumbled into her lips. He finally felt her relax against him as she deepened the kiss.

They were gentle with each other and their actions not as hurried as the nights in Sam's undercover apartment. The passion and hunger for each other was still there, but there was no rush. No worrying about Andy needing to sneak back to the real world. This _was_ the real world.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon, they lay tangled together in happy bliss. Andy propped her head up on her hand and gazed down at Sam as her other hand played with the hair on his chest.

"Just what the doctor ordered," Sam smirked, which earned a roll of the eyes from Andy. She smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on his lips.

* * *

Three days later, Andy was tidying up Sam's living room when her phone rang. "Hey Trace."

"Hey stranger. How are you?"

"I'm good. Sorry I haven't called," Andy said, placing a blanket neatly over the back of Sam's couch.

"Lots of sexy time with Swarek, I get it," Traci teased.

Andy blushed as she plumped the pillows on the couch. "It's just, it doesn't have to be a secret anymore, you know? We can just be together. It's nice."

"I get it, I do, Andy. And I want to see you happy. But you're friends would also like to see you. You should come to The Penny. We're all on the day shift this week," Traci suggested.

"I don't know, maybe. I'll talk to Sam. He's still healing and…"

"Come on, you need to have some fun with your friends, take your mind off of everything that's happened. Both of you could use it," Traci said.

"You're right. We'll stop by The Penny some night this week, I promise," Andy replied.

"Good. So, how is everything?"

"We're good. Sam's pretty injured, but he says he's okay. I'm trying to get him to take it easy so he can heal, but, well, you know, it's Sam," Andy said, as she began stacking some magazines strewn across the coffee table.

"He'll be fine Andy. Remember when you got shot, it took a while to heal, but you were okay."

"Yeah, I know, I just worry," she said.

"I know. Well, I gotta get back to work. But remember, you and Sam, The Penny, this week," Traci reminded.

"I promise, Trace."

They said their goodbyes and Andy placed her phone on the coffee table. She sat down on the edge of the couch and thought about what Traci had said. Somehow with everything that had happened, Andy had forgotten about her friends. Her friends who had helped her find Sam. Her friends who hadn't judged her when they heard what she did. In a few days she had become _that_ girl, the one who forgot about her friends when she got a boyfriend. And was Sam even her boyfriend? What were they doing? They hadn't left the comfort of his apartment since the day they went grocery shopping. They had ignored talking to friends for several days. They basically ignored the outside world. Staying cooped up in Sam's apartment wasn't much different than their secret rendezvous at his undercover apartment. This wasn't normal.

As she sat there fidgeting with her fingers, Sam walked into the room.

"What are we doing?" she blurted out when she saw him out of the corner of her eye.

"At this very moment? We're deciding what to do with our day." He smiled, oblivious to Andy's internal battle.

"What. Are. We. Doing?" she repeated, slowly and deliberately.

"What do you mean?" He was thoroughly confused now and the serious tone of Andy's voice made him nervous.

"We haven't even gone on a date. We haven't seen our friends. We've been hiding ourselves in your apartment like the world doesn't exist," she said.

"I thought you were happy. You can leave anytime, you know," he replied. He knew the bubble would burst, that she'd change her mind or regret what had happened, what they were doing.

"That's not what I want. Don't put words in my mouth, Sam."

"Then what do you want? What are you saying, Andy?"

"I don't want to be stuck. I want us to move on. We're suspended, but not on house arrest. I want to go out to dinner with you. I want us to see our friends, together." She emphasized the last word as she walked over to him. "I can't be your house guest forever or live on Traci's couch forever. I want to get my condo." She walked over to Sam and slid her arms around his neck to pull herself closer to him as he rested his hands on her hips. "I want it all with you, but we need to start moving forward."

Sam rested his forehead on hers. He'd been selfish, wanting her all to himself so they could forget the rest of the world existed. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Look, I get things have been tough. Every time you look down at the brace on your hand you're reminded of what you went through. But I'm here for you, if you want to talk, if you're in physical pain. I'm here," she said.

"I'm sorry. I haven't treated you like you deserved to be treated."

"Sam, that is _not _what I'm saying. But you asked if I wanted to be normal with you, right? So, let's try normal."

"I also said I didn't know how to do that," he said, lips curving into a smile.

"So, we figure it out together."

"Let's go out tonight," he suggested.

"Really?"

"Yeah, we can go out to dinner and see a movie or something. Like a normal couple." He pulled her flush against him.

"I'd like that. I'll need to stop at Traci's though."

"Okay, I can drop you off there later to get ready and pick you up for our date. But first, call the bank." Andy furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what Sam was talking about. "You want your condo, you're gonna have to get that mortgage. Call the bank to reschedule," he urged.

She smiled. He had listened to every word she said. She leaned in for a kiss before pulling away and grabbing her phone off the table. He sat down on the couch and watched her pace back and forth in front of him as she spoke first with the bank and then her realtor. She hung up and put her phone in her pocket, but her back was facing Sam, so he couldn't quite tell how the conversations went.

"Soooo?" he asked.

Andy turned around with a huge grin on her face. "The guy at the bank said I could come in tomorrow. And the realtor said the condo is still available." She bounced over to him and jumped on the couch, sitting with her legs underneath her. "Wanna come with me?"

"I'd love to," he replied. "When do I get to see this fabulous condo?"

"You really want to see it?"

"Of course. I want to see what has you so excited." He placed his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

"Well, the realtor said she'd be at an open house for another condo in the building tomorrow. We could stop by after the bank," she suggested.

"It's a plan."

"Sam, I – Thank you. I'm sorry I freaked out."

"It's okay. But what have I told you about over thinking things?" he teased.

Andy rolled her eyes. "Ha."

* * *

Andy heard a knock at the door of Traci's apartment and took one last look in the mirror before she walked over to open the door. "Wow," Sam said when he saw Andy standing in the open doorway. "You're beautiful." She wore a flowy dark purple dress that ended just above her knees. Her hair cascaded softly over her shoulders and the thin spaghetti straps of the dress.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly. "You look great too." Sam wore jeans and a maroon button down shirt, with his classic leather jacket over it. She was so busy eying him up and down, she didn't notice he was holding something behind his back until he moved his arm and a small bouquet of her favorite flowers was in front of her. "Sam, these are my favorite. How did you know?"

"I told you I know a lot about you."

Andy gave him a curious stare as she took the flowers from him and inhaled their scent. He never ceased to amaze her. "Where are we going?" she asked, as she put her coat on.

"You'll see. I promise you'll love it," he replied, placing a hand at the small of her back as they left the apartment.

Andy shouldn't have been surprised when they pulled up to her favorite Italian restaurant.

Dinner was fun and conversation was easy as they shared laughs and exchanged stories. After hearing a funny story about Sam's rookie days, Andy was suddenly curious how he was introduced to the undercover work he was so good at.

"How did you get into undercover work?" she asked after they ordered dessert.

"I had done all the small jobs, like any rookie, and the scavenger hunt, and one day the boss told me they needed me for a deep cover job and asked if I was interested," he explained and thought back to that time in his life. He'd just gotten out of a serious relationship that ended badly and he wanted to get away from life. He initially saw it as a way to hide out, but he never realized how serious UC work could get until he'd been under for a month. "I was going through a rough time, saw it as an escape." He had promised himself he'd never again get lost in a job so he could ignore reality, but as he looked down at the brace on his hand he realized he'd gone on his last assignment for similar reasons.

Andy looked into his eyes and felt guilty. "Is that, uh, is that why you went under this time too?"

"Andy, it's not the same."

"But you did. You went under because of me and got hurt." She pushed the dessert the waiter had put down away from her. She was suddenly nauseous at the thought that she was the reason he went undercover in the first place.

He hated seeing the guilt in her eyes, guilt he had just put there. "Look, I left for a lot of reasons. A small part might've been thinking being away from you would make me want you less, but that obviously didn't work," he said smiling. "Boyd was convincing and I do enjoy it. It wasn't all because of you and I don't want you feeling guilty."

"I don't," she protested, but received a glare from Sam that told her he knew she was lying. "Okay, I don't anymore. I just want you happy."

"And I am."

"Was it a love at first sight thing? Going undercover, I mean." She blushed slightly as she realized what she initially said.

Sam smirked at her choice of words. "You could say that. I enjoy playing a part, being someone else, taking down the bad guys. You just have to be careful not to lose yourself in it," he said, always being the teacher and offering the warning.

"Would you go under again?"

"Not gonna lie, it's possible. It's fun and exhilarating and a nice change of pace from patrolling the streets every day," he admitted, hoping she wouldn't be disappointed.

"Good. I don't want you to stop just because of me. And you're good at it," she replied before finally taking a bite of her dessert.

"And it would be fun to go under with you. I mean we were a great Gabe and Edie."

Andy smiled and fondly remembered their first undercover job together. "Yeah, we were."

They finished their desserts before Andy spoke again. "I'd wait, you know. I'd miss you, but I'd wait. Would've waited this time too if you hadn't called." She'd left his undercover apartment after that first night fully accepting she wouldn't see him for months. She prepared herself for that. She didn't like it, but he had a piece of her heart and she would wait until he safely returned home to continue whatever they were. If she could do it then, when all the want and need was flowing through her blood, she knew she could do it again if that's what the universe called for. She'd miss him like crazy, and probably worry about him, but she'd wait. Because all she wanted was him and no one else.

Sam smiled and his heart was full by what Andy said. It meant everything to him, that if he hadn't called her back to his apartment, if he hadn't been made by Brennan, she would have waited for him to return. And she was prepared to do it again. He couldn't find quite the right words to express what that meant to him, so he stared lovingly into her eyes and hoped she understood.

After Sam paid the bill, he helped Andy into her coat. "Ready to get out of here?" he asked.

"Yup, but you're not picking the movie."

"Come on, the promo for that action movie looked great," he replied.

"You have to be kidding me Sam. It looks horrible."

"So, what do you want to see, that cheesy romantic comedy with that young actor the girls are all falling over?"

"No, I was thinking the thriller where Matt Damon saves the world."

Sam shook his head as they left the restaurant, but knew when they arrived at the theater, he'd be watching two hours of Matt Damon saving the world.


	3. Chapter 3

It makes me really happy that everyone is liking my version of normal for Sam & Andy. :) This is the last chapter and I hope everyone enjoys it! Thank you all for reading and reviewing – reviews are wonderful, so please keep 'em coming. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue. (oops, forgot this in the first two chapters)

* * *

**Chapter 3 **

"Thanks for coming with me," Andy said as they walked out of the bank.

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Sam replied, smiling.

She thought back to a conversation they had in his undercover apartment.

"_I already told you, I took the day off to finalize my mortgage," Andy said as she tried to find her cardigan which had been tossed under the bed._

"_Right, right, right. So, uh, which one did you buy?" he asked._

"_Oh, you know the one on the corner with all the windows? Well, I actually showed _Sam_ all the pictures before he disappeared." _

"_I remember. It's beautiful."_

"_Thanks, you wanna come?" she asked, knowing he couldn't, but holding out a small bit of hope he'd say yes._

"_I wish I could, but I gotta turn these cameras back on and start behaving. Another eight hours without a wire, Boyd might actually notice," he replied._

It meant a lot to her that he _said_ he wanted to come, but even more that he actually _did_ come with her. It was boring, just watching her sign a few forms, listen to the banker tell her the rules and penalties if she failed to pay. Hell, it was boring for her and she was the one getting a new condo out of all this. She couldn't imagine how Sam sat through the meeting with a smile on his face and a hand on her back offering silent encouragement.

"Let's get over to my future home so I can give my realtor this paperwork and show you my condo," she said excitedly, as they walked hand in hand to his truck.

It was a quick drive to the condo and Andy started feeling anxious as they walked into the building. She quickly retrieved the key to her condo from the realtor, who was busy showing another unit to a small group of potential tenants, and led Sam to the corner unit that would soon become her home.

She looked down at her hands as they fiddled nervously with the key. Sam had teased her about moving into a renovated toilet factory, and while she knew it was all in fun, what he thought about the condo mattered to her. She wanted him to like it because his opinion meant a lot.

Sam could feel the nerves radiating off of her and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. She felt the warmth of his touch through her shirt and closed her eyes briefly as calmness soared through her.

She unlocked the door, walking in with Sam at her heels and stood in the middle of a large open room. "Here it is," she said, arms wide open. Sam followed her gaze, starting with the wall to wall windows on the far side of the room allowing bright natural sunlight in that shined off the wooden floors. He looked up at the high ceilings, which gave the room a larger feel. The one brick wall gave a unique feeling to the apartment, that it was old and new all at the same time.

"It's beautiful, Andy."

"You haven't seen it all yet. Let me give you a tour." The smile on her face matched the excitement in her voice.

Sam followed her as she pointed out a small kitchen, the area where she planned to put a dining room table, the bedroom and the bathroom, where he fought not to make any toilet warehouse jokes. There would be plenty of time for that, he thought.

"It's a great place. I can see why you love it," he said as they walked back to the living room.

"It's me. I knew the moment I saw it," she said, turning around in a circle to take the room in. "I can't wait to decorate it."

He smiled and listened as she went on about where she was going to set up the couch, a bookcase and the TV, and what she envisioned would go on the walls. He loved seeing her excited. "I can't wait to see it finished," he said when she finally took a breath.

She realized she'd been babbling and her nervousness returned as she looked down at her fidgeting hands. "It's just, I've never had a place feel like home like this place does. My apartment wasn't homey. It was just, well, the only place I could afford. And the condo with Luke, you know, we moved everything from his place and it never really felt like it was mine." She frowned thinking back on living with Luke.

Sam's hatred for Luke resurfaced. Andy had just been a trophy he could hang off his arm, the beautiful girlfriend he could make other guys jealous of. He never truly allowed her into his life.

"But this place, it's _mine._ No one can tell me what to do," she continued.

"If you need any help, you know I'm here," he offered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'd like that. You did say you were good with tools."

"I did."

"And, um, what you think about my decorating ideas is welcome too." It was hard for her to vocalize, but she wanted his opinion. Wanted his ideas and suggestions. He'd never judge, never tell her what to do or demand something. She knew he'd be there just to support her.

"I can do that."

"So, you really like it?" she asked.

"I do, Andy. And I promise to keep my toilet factory jokes to a minimum," he smirked.

She poked him in the side before dragging him to the door. "C'mon, I have to get the key back to the realtor. It's not officially mine yet."

* * *

That night they walked up to the door of The Penny when Andy suddenly stopped, turned around and put a hand to Sam's chest. "Did you take any pain meds today?" she asked, a worried look taking over her face.

"First thing this morning, but it's long since worn off. I'm okay to drink tonight," he replied, knowing immediately where her concern was coming from.

"Okay," she started to turn around, but stopped. "Wait, are you in pain? Cause we don't have to – "

"It's not that bad. Stop worrying." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips before turning her around and pushing the door open. The warmth of the crowded bar hit Andy and she shrugged off her jacket as she made her way over to her friends. She glanced back at Sam and smiled as she pulled up a seat next to Traci. "Andy!" her friends excitedly welcomed her to the table.

Sam saw Oliver and Jerry at the bar and sat down on a stool next to them. "Hey Sammy," Jerry said as Oliver welcomed him with a pat on the back.

"So, uh, enjoying your time off? Getting nursed back to health?" Oliver asked chuckling, and not so discreetly looked in the direction of Andy.

Sam waved by down the bartender before responding. "I'm touched by your concern Ollie. I'm recovering just fine."

Trying to avoid anymore razzing from his friends, Sam decided to change the subject. He'd been wondering something for the last few days anyway. "What have I missed? Any comings or goings in the department?"

Jerry understood what Sam was hinting at, glancing down at his drink before responding. "Boyd's suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. We have a lot of evidence against him. He won't be coming back."

Sam nodded in thanks and took a swig of his beer. He knew Boyd would be fired, it was only a matter of time. But he wanted it to happen quickly in hopes that Andy would stop blaming herself. When Boyd was fired, maybe she'd get it through her head that he was one who caused the operation to go south.

As if reading his thoughts, Oliver looked over at Sam. "Everyone knows it was his fault. No one blames you…or her," he said.

"Ollie's right Sammy. He knew about the boat. He knew about the accident. He's done," Jerry said.

Sam wanted to enjoy the evening, so decided it was time to switch the conversation again. He nodded up at the television that was showing the hockey game. "So, who's taking this game?" As expected, Oliver and Jerry began to bicker at who was the better team. Sam chuckled, and took Oliver's side as the debate continued.

Over at the rookie's table, Andy sipped the beer Dov had given her. "So, what have I been missing?" she asked.

"We think Noelle's pregnant," Dov blurted out.

"What?" Andy wondered how she missed this piece of gossip.

"Yeah, she's barely come here lately and when she is here she doesn't drink a sip of alcohol," Traci explained.

"Wow, that's great for her and…Frank, I'm guessing?" Andy was pretty sure she had seen some sparks between their sergeant and Noelle, but she couldn't be sure.

"That's our best guess," Traci answered.

Andy was happy for Noelle, but hated to admit some of her joy was because this news might become the talk of the division, taking the focus off of her and Sam when they return.

"Where's Gail?" Andy asked, looking around.

"Oh, she's been doing her own thing lately," Traci replied.

"Yeah, she's moved on to a certain blond detective," Chris said, nodding toward the far corner of the bar. Upon closer look, Andy saw Gail and Luke, head's leaned close and looking like they were sharing some joke. Andy nearly choked on her beer – that wasn't what she expected to see tonight.

"Sorry, I should've warned you," Traci apologized.

"It's okay. I'm with Sam. I'm happy. Just wasn't expecting that," she said grinning as she thought about Sam. It was the first true smile her friends had seen since she walked into the bar.

"So, what else has been going on while I've been gone?" she asked.

Dov and Chris began animatedly talking about a drunk guy they arrested and laughter engulfed the table.

* * *

Later that night, they lay in bed, Andy shifting so she could comfortably rest her head on Sam's chest while he pulled the sheets up to cover her bare back. They remained silent for several minutes, but Sam could feel Andy's jaw open and close a few times as if she wanted to say something, but was holding back.

He held her close, drawing shapes on her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

She was silent for another minute before she could force the words out of her mouth. "Do you think Frank will separate us, not let us work together when we get back?"

Sam had thought a lot about this. It was something that hadn't been brought up while he was being reprimanded after he was rescued. "I don't know." Despite all the thinking he'd done, he didn't have an answer for her.

"I hope not."

"Me too. We're good together." He wanted nothing more than to spend his days working side by side with her and his nights at home – his or hers, it didn't matter – with her.

"I wanna be your partner," she said, the double meaning of the words not lost on either of them.

"You're a good cop Andy. Whoever you're partnered with, you'll still be a good cop." As much as he wanted to be her partner, he needed to prepare them both in case that didn't happen.

"I know, but you make me feel safe," she said quietly, playing with the hairs on his chest.

Sam pulled her closer. She couldn't have said anything that could have made him happier in that moment.

"Look, if Frank wants to split us up, we'll just plead our case. That's all we can do," he said.

Andy took a deep breath. "We're so good together. I mean, the universe can't hate me that much to separate us, right?"

"No matter what happens at work, the universe already gave me you and I sure as hell ain't giving that gift back."

Andy smiled and looked up at Sam. "I'm a gift, huh?"

"Yup, one I get to unwrap again and again," he replied, dimples flashing. Andy rolled her eyes, but leaned down so her lips could meet his.

* * *

Two weeks later, Andy sat reading a magazine while Sam paid some bills. They had fallen into a routine in the three weeks since he'd been rescued from Brennan's farmhouse. They spent most days, and nights, together, but made sure to make time for their friends. They snuggled on the couch, went to the movies, stopped by The Penny, cooked together, and even cleaned his apartment together – it was, dare she think, normal.

She had finally closed on her condo, but ironically she couldn't get the keys to her new home until tomorrow, which was also her and Sam's first day back at work. She was too excited to get back to work to ask for the day off, so she decided to wait and already had furniture deliveries scheduled for their first day off.

Her mind wandered from the magazine in front of her and she thought about how good her life was. She was going back to the job she loved. She had a home of her own that she loved. She had good friends, her dad and Sam. She was happy, but as the minutes of the day passed by, a knot in the pit of her stomach got larger and larger.

By the time night had fallen, Andy was busying herself cooking dinner, hoping it would help ignore her anxiety about returning to work the next day. It wasn't working and by the time she put the plates of chicken cacciatore on the kitchen table, Sam couldn't take it anymore. "Andy, you need to relax. Tomorrow isn't going to be as bad as you think."

"You don't know that. I'm the girl that screwed up your undercover op for the second time. Everyone knows we, you know, when we saw each other. Ohmygod, it's so embarrassing!" She threw her face in her hands and shook her head.

"First of all, you didn't screw up my UC op. Second, we can move to Vancouver. Then you never have to see the faces of 15 Division again," he deadpanned. Andy looked at him through her fingers, knowing how ridiculous he was being.

"I'm serious, Sam," she whined. "I'm so nervous I don't even think I can eat."

Having already eaten several forkfuls, Sam wasn't having the same problem. "You cooked a delicious dinner, Andy. Eat. Stop worrying. We're going to be fine."

"But what if – "

"Eat."

She rolled her eyes and put a forkful of food in her mouth before continuing her previous thought. "But what if people think I'm not fit for this job, that I can't follow the rules, and they don't trust me?"

"Why would anyone think that?"

"Because I violated the rules, twice, to see you."

Sam set down his fork so he could reach across the table and grab Andy's hand. "Everyone in this job makes mistakes. The people that matter know you Andy and trust you. Nash, Epstein, Diaz, Peck, they wouldn't think twice about you having their back. Oliver, Noelle, they know you're a good copper. And me, Andy, you _never_ have to question if I trust you."

Andy pressed her lips together to prevent herself from crying at his kind words. He always knew the right thing to say.

"First days back – whether it's after getting injured, shooting someone, being suspended – are always going to be tough. You take it one step at a time, get through the day, and everything will go back to normal," he continued.

Slowly he was easing her anxiety, but it wasn't gone yet. "But what if I don't have you by my side, if Frank separates us?"

"I will always have your back, even if we aren't partners," he assured her.

"I know. And I have yours, always."

"I know."

* * *

The next morning they got out of Sam's truck and walked to the back door of the station. "Ready for this?" Sam asked, his hand resting on her lower back.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She took a deep breath as Sam pushed the door open and waited for her to walk through.

They had barely entered the station when Frank called out to them, ordering them to his office. Andy tried to ignore the eyes staring at her as they walked up to his office. They sat in the two chairs set in front of Frank's desk, nervously awaiting their fate. Andy tried to remain still, but couldn't stop her hands from fidgeting, while Sam tried to read the look on their boss's face.

"First of all, glad to have you both back," Frank said, leaning back in his chair. "Second, you screwed up and are going to be under a lot of scrutiny, so be careful. With that said, McNally, you'll be partnered with Shaw for the next few days. Sam, you're on desk duty until your hand is cleared by a doctor. And, this might go against my better judgment, but no one can deny you make a good team. So, when Sam is back on full duty, I see no reason why I can't partner you two together."

A grin exploding on Andy's face was cut off when Frank continued talking. "But, best behavior guys. Anything, I mean _anything_, and I will have to separate you."

"Yes sir," Andy said, acknowledging his order.

"Understood boss," Sam replied.

"Alright, get ready for parade. I don't want you to be late."

They uttered their thank you's as they left his office. Andy and Sam smiled at each other as they headed toward the locker rooms, but said nothing until they got closer. He placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going into the locker room. "Today's going to be okay. Oliver can be a pain in the ass, but he won't judge," he said.

"I know." She took a deep breath. "Just gotta get through a 10-hour shift and the first day will be over."

Sam glanced around, and seeing no one in sight, leaned in to kiss Andy. She smiled against his lips before backing away into the locker room.

Halfway through changing into her uniform Traci walked in. "Andy!" she squealed upon seeing her friend and pulled her into a hug. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Andy replied, as she put her hair in a ponytail. "I've missed it."

"Well, you've been missed," Traci said, opening her locker.

Andy sat down on the bench and looked over at Traci. "Is anyone – have we – what's the topic of the rumor mill this week?" she asked.

Traci knew what her friend was getting at. "People aren't going to talk about you and Sam, Andy. It's been three weeks, they've probably forgotten already."

Andy arched her eyebrows, disagreeing. "People don't forget anything around here. They still talk about my failure at the hooker detail and Chris' white pants." Traci stifled a laugh – those white pants were infamous.

"People have moved on, talking about Dov's latest antics or how much food Oliver stuffed in his mouth yesterday. You'll see. It'll be fine." Traci smiled, hoping her words would ease Andy's mind.

"Thanks Trace," she said, getting up. "I'll see you in parade. I'm too nervous to just sit here."

Andy walked through the station and took a moment to take it all in. It had only been three weeks, but she loved this job. It was who she was. It was in her blood. She smiled at Chris and Dov as she walked over to where they were standing.

"It's so good to have you back, Andy. We missed you," Chris said.

"It wasn't the same without you. I mean, we had one less person to take turns buying Oliver's lunch," Dov quipped.

She rolled her eyes at Dov, but gave them both a quick hug. "Thanks guys. I've missed this place." She missed the rest of their conversation – something about Dov not doing the dishes the night before – as her eyes caught Luke walking through the room and into his office. There'd been something she'd wanted to do since before her suspension. She told herself she'd be the bigger person. "I'll see you in parade," she told the guys before walking into the detectives' office.

"Luke?"

Luke barely glanced up before looking back down at the paperwork on his desk. "What can I do for you Officer McNally?"

Andy fought not to lash out at the snide way he spoke to her. She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath to remind herself yet again why she was standing there. "Look, what you did when Sam was missing, helping to figure out what happened...Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you."

"I investigated a missing officer, that's all. One of our own was missing after a stupid mistake," Luke replied, finally looking up at her.

Fury started to build inside Andy. She was trying to be the bigger person and let him know she appreciated his help after everything that had happened between them. Why couldn't he accept it without the rude remarks?

"Anything else you need? Cause I have a lot of work to get done," he said.

"No." She glared at him briefly before starting to walk out the door, but stopped and turned around. "I've clearly made some stupid mistakes, but for the record, Sam isn't one of them."

The look on his face told her that her point had been made and she turned quickly and left the office, running right into a hard body. It took her a moment to realize it was Sam. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked when he saw the look on her face.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

He gently pulled her down an empty hallway. "You're not fine."

"I was trying to thank Luke for helping us find you." When she paused, Sam nodded, urging her to continue. "He was an ass. Couldn't just accept my appreciation. Why did I bother?"

Andy frowned and Sam put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. "Because you're you. You're a good person." He lowered his head so she would look him in the eye. "Don't let him or anyone else make you think different."

She forced a smile. "Thanks." He kissed her forehead.

"Now get to parade before Frank yells at us for being late," Sam teasingly warned.

"Oh god, we can't walk in there together! They'll think, I don't know, but we can't!" Andy went from annoyed to freaked out in a matter of seconds.

Sam chuckled before starting to back down the hallway. "You go that way. I'll go this way."

They arrived at parade, separately, and listened to Frank update everyone on a few ongoing cases. He quietly welcomed back Sam and Andy, and she was forever grateful he did it without a lot of fanfare. _The less attention brought to us the better_, she thought.

After parade, Oliver and Andy made their way to the coffee station and when he saw her making two cups, he decided to give her a moment. "Meet me at the car in five, McNally. And don't forget, you're buying lunch." She laughed as he walked away.

Carrying both cups of coffee, she searched the room and saw Sam sitting at a desk with a phone to his ear. She walked over and quietly placed one of the coffees in front of him. Before she could turn away, he looked up and grabbed her wrist. "Be safe," he mouthed wordlessly. She smiled and slightly squeezed his hand. Walking away, she could hear Sam's aggravated voice telling someone their neighbor's barking dog was not a reason to dial 911 over and over again.

When she reached the cruiser, Oliver was sitting in the driver's seat ready to go. As she settled into her seat, he pulled out of the parking lot. "So, first day back. We can take it easy, you know," he said.

"No, it's okay. I'd rather be busy. It'll make the day go faster."

Oliver nodded in understanding and as if on cue, they were called to a B&E at a convenience store.

* * *

Sam was waiting outside the locker rooms when Andy walked out. Despite how exhausted she was, the sight of him leaning back against the wall, ankles crossed in front of him, brought a smile to her face. "Hey."

"Rough day?" he asked, pushing away from the wall and walking toward her.

"Just busy. Two B&E's Jerry thinks are linked to a gang initiation, a few accidents caused by the slick roads, a couple regular traffic stops and breaking up a loud party thrown by kids skipping school." She sighed and shook her head. "I should've taken Oliver up on making it an easy day."

"The positive? Day one is over," he said as he ushered them out the back door of the station. She smiled as she felt the warmth of his hand at the small of her back through the shirt she wore. The rain was still gently falling as they walked to Sam's truck.

Andy waited for Sam to unlock the doors, but instead found herself being turned around and gently pushed up against the truck. "What are you doing?" she asked as he boxed her in with the palms of his hands resting on the truck.

"Something I've wanted to do all day," he said. He leaned in, crushing his lips against hers and she eagerly responded.

She quickly became aware of the cold rain beginning to soak through her shirt. "Sam," she mumbled against his lips. "I'm getting wet."

He pulled back, choking on a laugh and smirking. "Really?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean! The rain, the water on the truck…" Even in the dim light of the parking lot, Sam could see her face turn a bright crimson.

"Uh huh." He enjoyed watching her blush, but reached into his pocket to get his keys and unlocked the doors. "Get in," he said, still smiling.

"You so knew what I meant, Sam!" She poked a bony finger into his chest as she moved to open the door. He simply chuckled and made his way around the truck to get in the driver's seat.

On the short ride home to Sam's apartment, Andy became mesmerized by the rain falling and sliding down the window, and she was quickly lost in her own thoughts. She thought back on the last three weeks. Things were easy with Sam. She could be herself. He understood her like no one else. No matter what happened, what kind of day she'd had, she could get through it with him at her side.

When they arrived at his apartment, Sam saw in her eyes how tired she was, so he suggested she change into her pajamas while he cooked dinner. He had already put leftovers in the oven and was throwing together a salad when he heard her coming down the hall.

Andy padded into the kitchen, slid her arms around Sam and rested the side of her face against his back.

"Everything okay?" He'd been concerned when she'd been unusually silent once they left the station.

"Mmmhmm, just tired." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I like this, being normal."

He turned around so she was leaning against his chest and kissed her temple. "So that's what this is?" He felt her laugh vibrate his chest and smiled.

"Thank you for being normal with me," she said.

"Wouldn't want to be normal with anyone else."

* * *

The End.


End file.
